Icesolation

A class assignment in my Robotics class back in grade 10 started a relationship between Beaverworx and I. The project was to build a simple Lego Robot and compete with other robots in a Sumo-wrestling tournament. Everyone had equal number of motors and amount of power supply to keep the competition fair and square. My robot design easily won the tournament; it incorporated a clever large front roller that suspends off the ground and rotates backwards which "lifts" opponent robot upon contact, thus decreasing its F(g) and hence F(f).

I'm not an engineer, never was. But the teacher put me on the team because I can solve problems creatively. Since then my relationship with Beaverworx flourished. I climbed to the top of the ladder in no time, picking up the responsibilities of a captain. I knew the robot inside and out, I knew the team from top to bottom. I'd appear in every presentation to figures from Ontario Premier to corporate CEOs. In the first two seasons of Beaverworx's existence, we consecutively qualified for the World Championships, picking up two champion titles, and along the way 6 other awards in quality, creativity, top-seed, rookie top-seed, Rookie All-Star, website award. At peak, Beaverworx is ranked top 15% internationally! Of course it wasn't all because of me we had these accomplishments, it's because of the teamwork of Beaverworx, a young organization with all the right pieces well on its way to be world-class.

In year 3 of my involvement with FIRST Robotics, my relocation to Montreal, Quebec ended my relationship with Beaverworx. My love for robotics and mentorship, however, kept me involved with the competition, a new relationship with Loyola Northern Knights 296 formed. My last encounter prior to joining Loyola was from the playoffs quarterfinals, the 1st-seeded Beaverworx easily "smoked" (pun intended, their motor blew up) the last-seeded Loyola team.

What irony is it to be "traded" from the top team to a bottom team? It's like if I were a player on the Washington Capitals and got traded to the Edmonton Oilers for a 28th round pick (which doesn't exist). Nevertheless, that was the call. I am now a Northern Knight of Loyola.

The hardest part of my transition to my new team is making use of the available resources. We lack the machines and raw material to manufacture, which is the critical step in transferring blueprint to cold steel. At the same time, I had to establish my reputation and credibility. They see me at first as no one other than the opponent who put away their dream for a first-ever championship.

Now as a part of Loyola Robotics, six months later, our work is showcased at Waterloo Regionals and what a different result we had compared to its previous season! This year we were part of the 1st-seeded alliance while my former beloved Beaverworx is seeded at second-last. Loyola went on to be undefeated in the playoffs and was later crowned as tournament champion for the first time in the 10-year team history. How worthy a celebration..

To describe my feeling, I flipped through the dictionary looking for a suitable word...couldn't find one. So I invented a new word, and hopefully you can share my understanding of this term.

My first season with Loyola was treasured with memories and experiences that were both exciting and, at the same time, "icesolated". It sure felt great to win, but on a deeper level, a feeling of icesolation shadowed over the celebration when I witnessed the destruction of a fine and respectable organization that I was a founding member of, a team I am so familiar with. Yet this time around, I'm addressing "Beaverworx" as "them", and "Northern Knights" as "us". I'm the one getting the cold-shoulder from a team I used to call my own.

If anything, I wish both teams could win. But there's nothing I can do about it.

It's icy cold.